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Friday, February 28, 2014

Henry Maximus is a super-hero-loving geek and proud of it. He’s also a genius when it comes to business. It’s how he earned the title of CEO of Maximus Gaming … not to mention the billions of dollars in his bank account. Henry’s tried living the life of a bachelor, but a different girl every night has left him wanting more. Needing more.

Aubrey Vincent is in love with her job. She’ll love it even more if she lands the promotion that gets her out of her parent’s attic. She loves it so much that she has no time for relationships, not that she was ever very good at them to begin with. Aubrey is perfectly happy with the random, nameless men she picks up at the bar.

After a brief encounter with Aubrey on a business trip, Henry packs his bags and moves back to the small town where he grew up. Aubrey’s town. Aubrey attempts to find her way into Henry’s bed, while he tries everything to get into her heart. Will Henry’s plan to break down the walls Aubrey has built around her heart work or will his unbelievable million dollar offer scare her away?

Growing up, Adrianne couldn’t get her hands on enough books to satisfy her need for the make believe. If she finished a novel and didn’t have a new one ready and waiting for her, she began to create her own tales of magic and wonder. Now, as an adult, books still make up majority of her free time, and now her tales get written down to be shared with the world.

During the day, Adrianne uses her camera to capture life’s stories for clients of all ages and at night, after her two children are tucked in bed; she devotes herself to her written work. Adrianne is living the life she always wanted, surrounded by art and beauty, the written word and a loving family.

As a young adult and new adult author, Adrianne James has plans to bring stories of growing characters, a little romance, and perhaps a little magic and mythology down the line for her readers to enjoy.

That which makes me the ultimate predator also feeds dark impulses I’ve learned to control—until I bring her too close. For years I’ve watched her from afar, but what started out as duty has become obsession.

Cataline FordI work hard.I play by the rules.I’m content.My scars are quiet and invisible, and that keeps me hidden.Doesn’t it?

One fateful walk home, I’m taken by someone I didn’t know I should fear. Captive and afraid, nobody will tell me why I’m confined to this hauntingly beautiful mansion. I’m given everything; I have nothing. He takes what he needs from me, and for that I hate him. But I might have loved him once.

Leighton Del Mia lives behind large sunglasses and under massive headphones. She can usually be found behind and under these things at any Starbucks on the West Coast, which is where she writes twisty books between sips of black coffee.

“I will disappoint you. I will hurt you. If I could be different, I would. But I don’t think I can.”

Declarations and sacrifices have been made. After three years, a better life is finally on the horizon. But when the past leaves marks that are both painful and permanent, is there ever such a thing as starting over? Can memories be replaced or forgotten—and should they be?Keep Me is a follow-up novella for Hero readers who want a glimpse of life after breakfast. It is only intended to be enjoyed after Hero and is not a standalone. It is entirely optional and not essential to the original plot.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

We're thirteen girls, captive, slave to our master. A master we've never seen. Obedience will become all we know in our shallow existence. It is the only emotion we're permitted to feel. When we're bad, we're punished. When we're good, we're rewarded. Our scars run deep. Yet we survive, because we have to... because HE teaches us to. All of us are special, we feel it with everything we are. He has us for a reason, but it's a reason we don't know. We've never seen his face, but we know that something deeply broken lies beneath the darkness. With every touch, with every punishment, we know it. Then something changed. He showed me who he truly is. Now I want him. I'll go against everything I know to be with him.

A monster.

My monster.

Loving him is a sin, but a sinner I am. I won't stop until I see every part of him. Even the parts he keeps locked deep down inside.

I am Number Thirteen, and this is my story. No one said it was pretty, or right, but it's mine.

PROLOGUE

My boots crunch in the yellow autumn leaves as I walk towards the schoolyard. I didn’t want to come today, but Momma told me I had no choice. She said school is for smart kids, and if I don’t go, then how am I ever going to get smart? I could get smart, the man on the television tells me everything I need to know. But she claims that I can’t make friends with the man on the television, that the only way to make friends is to go to school. I could have told her that I don’t need friends to be successful, but she’d only tell me I’m being silly.So I came to school. I didn’t tell her that there are bullies here, or that every day they push me around and shove me into lockers. That would make me sound weak, and now that my dad is working, and my brother is away because he didn’t like the school here, I’ve had to become the man of the house. There’s no room for weakness.Momma tells me bullies pick on the kids who are victims. I think she’s wrong. I’m not a victim; I’m just a kid. They pick on me because I’m different. I don’t look at the girls like they do; I don’t try to sneak out to parties. I’m only thirteen. I’m just there to learn, then I go home and I take care of my family, because, I’m the man of the house.Like I said.The shrill sound of the school bell ringing, tells me I’m late. I pick up into a jog, rounding the corner and into the schoolyard. It’s a cool winter day, and I have to pinch my coat together to stop it from flapping in the icy breeze. I can see the students piling in the front doors, and I turn my jog into a run. I’m focusing so heavily on the doors, that I don’t see them. A strong hand lashes out, catching hold of my sleeve and tugging me into the alleyway that runs down beside my school.I always knew this alley was dangerous. My body is slammed against a hard wooden fence, and I set eyes on my bullies. Four of them. They’re all bigger than me, all of them on the football team. They’re from a few grades up, and they’ve just turned sixteen. The leader of the group, Marcel, steps forward first. He scrunches his nose in disgust, as if I’ve just dragged myself out of a gutter, as if I’m offending him. He leans in close, and I can smell cigarettes on his breath.Smoking is not cool. “You’ve been trying to avoid me, Will. Did you really think you could hide at home with Mommy, and never have to come out again?”I stare at him, wondering why he chose me to pick on. I didn’t even know his name until he flagged me down and shoved my head down a toilet six months ago. I was just a kid, keeping my head down, studying and learning like I should. Now here I am, pressed against a fence, wondering why they decided I was good enough to take extra special effort to attack. I don’t bother answering him; it’ll only make him worse. My answers won’t make a difference. If I answer, I’m wrong. If I don’t answer, I’m wrong.“Are you fucking mute, you little cunt?”My body jerks. I hate that word, it’s so…vulgar. I let my eyes move to the four other guys standing like protective pack animals around Marcel. I don’t know their names; they’re not significant enough. The tall boy with orange hair looks nervous, like he knows what’s about to happen could put him in a world of trouble - but he’s still here, still making the choice to stay. The other two guys are stony faced, and fully aware of their part in this attack.I still don’t answer him. If I just let them beat me, it’ll go away quicker.“You’re a freak, Will, do you know that?” Marcel hisses, leaning in closer.Of course I know that. I wouldn’t be pinned against a fence if I didn’t know that.Bullies are so dumb.Marcel raises his fist, and brings it down over my face, cracking my nose so hard blood spurts onto his shirt. I don’t cry out, because that’s what he wants, but the pain radiating through my head is nearly enough to make me beg. Nearly. Marcel takes hold of my shirt, and his grey eyes scan my face. He’s panting, as though I’ve shoved him into an alley and challenged him. Like this is my fault. The world is twisted like that, and it’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way.“You know,” he growls, locking eyes with me. “I heard my girl saying how handsome you were the other day. Do you know how much it sucks to have my girl saying that a freak is handsome? Especially a freak that’s only what? Thirteen years old? Your dick would be no bigger than a tube of damned lipstick, yet she thinks you’re handsome!”I wouldn’t know how much it sucks to have a girl say that, because I don’t have a girl.Again, bullies are dumb.“Don’t answer me, you little twerp. It doesn’t matter. I will make sure by the time you leave this alley; you’re not handsome anymore. I won’t have my competition being some little weasel that can’t even speak.”I taste blood filling my mouth, and my nose is pounding so heavily I’m almost sure I can hear my own heart in my head. I don’t take my eyes from Marcel. They say look danger right in the eye; it gives you power and strength. I don’t feel powerful right now, in fact, I don’t really feel anything. Someone like me doesn’t fight, I’m the underdog, and underdogs are weak. Everyone knows it.Marcel reaches into his back pocket, and pulls out a pocket knife. The heart that feels like it’s in my head begins thumping even harder. I try not to show fear, I try to stand tall and take what he dishes out with strength, but that’s not so easy when your attacker is waving around a pocket knife.“She said it was your eyes,” he begins, lazily tracing circles on his palm with the blade. “She said they’re the most stunning eyes she’s ever seen. Like the ocean.”I didn’t know my eyes were like the ocean.He takes hold of my shirt, yanking me close. “No one is more appealing to my girl, than me.”They say bad things happen in slow motion, they’re right. I feel Marcel throw me down onto the floor. I feel every movement as my body slammed into the dirt. I feel his body weight coming over me, his knees pinning me down as I squirm. I feel his friend take my arms, pulling them above my head, while another puts a hand over my mouth. With my nose pouring with blood, that makes it difficult to breathe.I feel the knife ripping into my skin as I thrash my head from side to side, and I can feel the blood pouring down the sides of my face. Each time he attempts to stab me, I move and the knife only slices through the skin around my eye. My pained wails fill the alley, but no one comes to help me. No one is around in the one moment of my life that I need them.I know what I’ll remember most about that day, and that is the moment he finally manages to drive the knife into my eye.I don’t feel pain, not right away. Instead I hear the popping sound, as his blade pierces right through. Then I feel pressure as he twists. It’s only when he yanks it out of its socket, that I start to scream. Then the pain is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. Words cannot begin to explain the horror I feel as darkness begins to invade my body. I know my face is covered in blood, because it drips down to soak my hair. I know I bite his friends hand so hard I nearly take off his finger.I don’t know what they’re saying, or even acknowledge the moment when they run away. All I know was that I am bleeding to death in an alley, missing an eye. Red fills my vision as the blood begins to cover every part of my face. I know I’m still screaming, even though I can’t hear it. All I can hear is an excessive ringing in my ears. I can’t even move my hands to cover my eye, in an attempt to protect the empty socket. I can do nothing but lay and scream, witnessing a pain that I’ll never witness again in my life, and wondering what I did to deserve it.No one deserves to die.But I do die that day.And in my place, a monster is born.

About the Author

Bella Jewel is an Aussie girl through and through. She spent her life in Western Australia, growing up in many different areas of the state. She now currently lives in Perth with her husband, children and mass amounts of pets. She's crazy, fun, outgoing and friendly. Writing is her passion, she started at the young age of 18 but finally got the courage up to publish, and her first novel Hell's Knights was released in August 2013.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Former SEALs Quinn and Mike have discovered in King's Bluff, Wyoming, a town that embraces ménage and BDSM lifestyles. Even better, they found a sweet woman they could love--if they could only gain the shy librarian's trust. Overhearing that she adores capture fantasy books, the two Doms know exactly how to get her attention.

Trapped between two experienced Masters, Reagan surrenders. They're commanding, determined, yet gentle, and everything she ever wanted. Even as she learns what it is to be cherished, a secret from the past emerges, threatening her reputation. She hires her lovers to investigate, expecting them to be on her side. But the damning evidence they uncover rocks their relationship.As pressure for the truth mounts, danger stalks Reagan. Someone out there believes secrets are best left buried.Long-held misconceptions and fears stand in their way, risking their futures and allowing the threat closer. The three must fight as one for their love to survive.

Excerpt

Mike pushed the door closed with the kind of unhurried movement that reeked of confidence. He leaned back against the wood, crossing his arms over his chest. Quinn stepped forward, hat in one hand and a black gym bag in the other.She frowned and glanced up at his face.“A SEAL always keeps a bag handy. Mike and I have everything we need in here.” He dropped the bag at his feet, followed by his hat.“Everything?” She guessed he meant more than a clean shirt and deodorant.“For tonight anyway.” Quinn stalked forward, his body now so close she had to lift her chin high to meet his gaze. “Reality-check time. I’ll ask you again. Do you want this, Reagan? Because we’re not some pansy-ass Ken doll version of Doms.” He caught her wrists and drew them behind her back, holding them there with one hand.Her pussy throbbed. She tested his hold, wanting, no, needing to struggle. He tightened his grip. Firm. Inescapable.Quinn used his grip to push her up against him. “You’re caught, sweetness. And that’s just a preview of things to come. We’re gonna order you about, tie you up, eat your pussy till you’re begging us to let you come, say no because that’s the kind of bastards we are, then we’re gonna eat you up all over again.” He lifted his free hand and ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “I want to discover all the ways you light up when we bury our cocks inside that warm heaven between your legs. You’ll come when we say so and not before. Defy us and you’ll be punished. Still interested?”Dominated. Tied. Theirs.Her mouth opened but her voice refused to cooperate.Mike pushed off the door. “We need the words, Reagan.”“Y-yes.”Quinn lessened his hold until her hands fell away to her sides. Somehow, the action left her…bereft.“Strip,” Mike ordered.“Here, in the hallway?” They had to be kidding.Mike’s mouth pressed down in a harsh line. But it was his cold stare washing over her like an icy bath that made her gulp.She hurried to remove her shirt and tank top. Her fingers struggled to get a grip, as if covered in woolen mittens. Why did the guys have to stand so close?Dragging the tank top over her head, the easy-fit cotton now impersonated skin-tight spandex, hooking on her elbows until with one hard pull, she managed to lurch free. Sexy, Reagan. With her gaze lowered, she dropped the clothing at her feet.Thank God for front-closing bras. Her breasts spilled out. Don’t think about all that pale skin.Just hurry. They’re waiting. The white cotton joined the rest of her clothing. After toeing off her sneakers, she pulled her panties down with her jeans.The cool air wafted over her bare skin. She shivered. There she was, naked in front of Mike and Quinn. And yet, every part of her was alive with a slow burn that kindled from deep between her legs. She moved her gaze from Quinn’s boots to her chest. The hard points of her nipples stood like beacons, screaming her arousal.Oh, heck, her breasts. She raised her arms.“Hands by your sides, sugar.” Quinn’s deep voice cut in.Lowering her hands was like refusing to swim even as the water closed over her head. Her fingers twitched. A tightness filled her belly. Standing there, like a horse on display, seemed so wrong. Shouldn’t she argue back?“We’re going to push you, Reagan. Well beyond what you’re used to from a partner. In or out of bed.” Mike tilted his head. “Have you been with a Dom before?”“No.” Only in her dreams. This reality was so much more.Mike walked behind her.She forced herself not to swivel around. Look ahead. Chin up.A line of knuckles brushed against her butt cheek.She started. Her breasts jiggled.Mike’s chuckle singed her ears. “Easy, sub.”She dragged her gaze up to Quinn’s face. The heat of his stare made her stomach muscles quiver, as if he’d twirled a feather over her belly button.“Ever been tied up?” Mike’s hand curved over her hip.“No.” Her face heated. It seemed so foreign and carnal, talking about bondage in such a matter-of-fact way.“Spanked?”“N-no.” She coughed past the shag pile carpet coating her throat. “I haven’t done anything, besides, you know, normal stuff.” Two lovers at college and an ex-boyfriend in Sheridan. All missionary men, and she wasn’t talking bibles.This time Quinn chuckled. “We’re gonna open up a whole new world for you, sweetheart.”

I live in the sunny environs of Sydney, Australia, and share a house with my dog, Letty. Oh, and the flock of cockatoos that take over the back yard each afternoon, demanding their feed of Arnott's Milk Arrowroot Biscuits. Things get a little noisy around 3.00pm in our household.

My love of romance started back when I was twelve and my mum's stash of Mills and Boon novels proved too much of a temptation. At fifteen, I decided the life of a romance writer was for me. Some...ah...years later, I've clawed together enough gumption to make my dream a reality.When not sitting in front of the computer, I can be found in the garden or enthralled watching a murder mystery DVD. I limit myself to reading other authors' work between writing my own stories. Books are my 'shiny' distractions.

For Adriana
Monroe life couldn’t get any better.She
has great friends, her photography business is booming and she married Alex,
her childhood best friend.Life is
perfect.It’s a fairy tale really.

But one
night changes everything for her.

Suddenly she’s
alone.She’s afraid to trust and afraid
to love.Most of all she’s afraid she’s
broken beyond repair.Nightmares torment
and haunt her every time she closes her eyes.

Will she
ever be the same?

For Tucker
Stavros it looks to the outside world like things come easy for him.He’s gorgeous, rich, famous, has a hot
girlfriend.Hell, he’s a movie
star.If women aren’t trying to get with
him then men are wishing they are him.What they don’t see is the broken child hiding behind the smiles he
fakes for the cameras.They don’t see
the man who wakes up drenched in sweat from his nightmares from a past he can’t
escape.

Betrayal
sent him running.

A chance
encounter throws Tucker and Adriana together.They try to fight their attraction for each other.They feel they’re too broken for the other.

Will they
continue to suffer in the hell of dreamland separately or will they find that
Waking Up to real life together can be so much sweeter.

“I will disappoint you. I will hurt you. If I could be different, I would. But I don’t think I can.”

Declarations and sacrifices have been made. After three years, a better life is finally on the horizon. But when the past leaves marks that are both painful and permanent, is there ever such a thing as starting over? Can memories be replaced or forgotten—and should they be?Keep Me is a follow-up novella for Hero readers who want a glimpse of life after breakfast. It is only intended to be enjoyed after Hero and is not a standalone. It is entirely optional and not essential to the original plot.

About the Author

Leighton Del Mia lives behind large sunglasses and under massive headphones. She can usually be found behind and under these things at any Starbucks on the West Coast, which is where she writes twisty books between sips of black coffee.

That which makes me the ultimate predator also feeds dark impulses I’ve learned to control—until I bring her too close. For years I’ve watched her from afar, but what started out as duty has become obsession.

Cataline FordI work hard.I play by the rules.I’m content.My scars are quiet and invisible, and that keeps me hidden.Doesn’t it?

One fateful walk home, I’m taken by someone I didn’t know I should fear. Captive and afraid, nobody will tell me why I’m confined to this hauntingly beautiful mansion. I’m given everything; I have nothing. He takes what he needs from me, and for that I hate him. But I might have loved him once.

Evie Taylor loves her life in Boston, running her bookstore and café, but an accident has made it so she needs to return home to take care of her grandmother. With extra time on her hands, she decides to start looking for the monster that haunts her best friend’s nightmares. A chain of events starts no one could see coming.

When the last person she ever expects shows up and rings her grandmother’s doorbell she finds herself in the middle of danger. Bound together in a common mission, they’ll search the world looking for answers. But can they find them in time or will they end up paying the ultimate price?
As the storm rages around them, they find each other, and the calm in the Eye of the Storm.

M. Stratton is an International Amazon bestselling author in the romantic suspense and mystery suspense categories for her debut novel After the Storm. She is a self-proclaimed dork that loves to make people laugh and can trip over nothing. Her inner rock star is always on stage performing to a sold out crowd but is quiet and shy on the outside.

She lives with her husband and son in Arizona, which is a big difference from where she grew up north of Chicago Illinois. As an only child she learned to tell herself stories to make the long winters go by quicker while dreaming of summer vacations. Now as an adult she still makes up stories to pass the time, but now she writes them down to share with other people.
When not writing you can find M. watching football (Go Bears!), NASCAR, or classic movies, watching her husband and father restore classic cars, and seeing who can be sillier, her or her son, and of course reading.
Things you don’t know about M. Stratton:
1. She loves the movie Twister… she can say all the lines along with the actors. She will also use those lines in real life as often as possible.
2. Halloween is her favorite holiday. She starts planning months in advance. She has more Halloween decorations than Christmas.
3. She once made up a monologue about her love of chocolate chip cookie dough for her high school drama class.
4. There are times she thinks she is so funny she has tears running down her face while laughing at herself.
5. M. can play the clarinet but is in awe of anyone who can play the guitar, piano or drums, pretty much anything where your hands have to do two different things at the same time.
6. Cary Grant is her favorite actor. When she was in high school after Cary Grant died one of the cable stations ran a marathon, she watched his movies from 6 in the morning all day and night until 4 AM the next day.
7. Reading has always been an escape for her. She can devour a book in hours. When she moved in with her husband she literally donated over 1,000 books and saved over 1,000 for herself. She can reread books over and over again if she loves them. There are some that she has reread about once a year for the past 20 years.
8. She eloped after knowing her husband for only two months in 2006. They are still married over seven years later.

Anthony Maldono sat back in his chair and looked out the window of his home in La Jolla California at the ocean. The turbulent waves crashed on the beach and he felt it fit his mood exactly. He looked at the computer screen and scowled at the e-mail which was still waiting for his reply, he stood and walked over to where he kept his files his private investigators compiled for him about everyone and everything involved with Alexia Hanson and Jeremy Ellison. Looking through them until he came to the one labeled “Evie Taylor,” he pulled it out and started to review it.

He didn’t understand why she would contact him. Thinking it might be good to surprise her, he started moving his plans up.

~*~

Jeremy lay back in the bed, staring up at the ceiling, listening to the gossip show coming from the other room about Alexia and Noah’s wedding. Right now, he hated his life. He knew it was temporary, but he couldn’t wait for a change to come. A change he was going to make.

He formulated his plan. He’d spent considerable time and money keeping track of everybody while staying hidden. He knew Anthony Maldono as well as he knew himself and he knew what Anthony would do next. He wasn’t done making Anthony’s life miserable. Time to step it up a level.

For the past nine months he’d watched the authorities run around trying to find him and Anthony made a free man, it was time to start moving. It made his blood pump that he was finally going to be able to do something. He looked into the other room where the woman he had to depend on was shoving fist after fist of popcorn in her mouth. He wanted to get up and stick a knife in her gut. He hated her. He wanted her dead. But he had to wait since he had a plan. A plan that would increase the stakes in the game he was playing.

Chapter One

One month after Noah and Lexi’s wedding…

Evie Taylor sighed and flopped down in the chair. She tossed the dusting rag on the table, tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She was bored and longed to get back to Boston to run her bookstore and café. The past ten months she’d spent two extended stays back home. Once for Lexi and now for her grandmother. She’d heard from Jesse and everything was running fine, but she missed new shipments coming in and setting up the displays. Not to mention, getting to sample new desserts from the café. She loved helping a fellow booklover find a new author. In fact, she set up a whole section of the book store for indie authors. It opened a whole new world to her regular customers.

She looked around her grandmother’s living room. Knickknacks as far as the eye could see. But that was how bored she was; she’d resorted to dusting.

She’d come home to Ipswich, Massachusetts when her best friend, Lexi Hanson, now Matthews, had been attacked. She remembered the fear and anger that coursed through her veins when she got the phone call. The drive up was a blur, she couldn’t get there fast enough. In the weeks that followed, she never left Lexi. She completely amazed her with her strength.

Now she was back in Ipswich again, taking care of her grandmother who broke her arm partying with one of the male guests in a hotel room. She shivered thinking about what they were doing that could have gotten her grandmother’s arm broken. She knew it wasn’t pretty since her grandmother was naked when the paramedics arrived.

“Evie honey, do you want something for lunch?” Evelyne Stone called from the kitchen.

Evie hefted herself up out of the chair, walked into the kitchen, and put her hands on her hips. “Grandma, why am I here if you insist on doing everything yourself?”

Evelyne tsked, “Now honey, you know I need you, but there are some things I can do myself. Besides I need to get my wing back in working order, sooner rather than later, we’ve got a girl’s cruise coming up in a month and there are going to be men that need taming.” She tried to wave her arm around almost knocking over the pitcher of iced tea on the counter.

Evie rushed over and caught it, giving her grandmother a look. “Can you please take it down a notch? You aren’t fifty anymore.”

“Pah. Come on, honey, lighten up. I know you’ve got it in you. Maybe you should go with us. I know there will be some young hot guys there.”

“And how do you know this?”

“Because we signed up for a party cruise. Average age is twenty-four. I know that’s a bit young for you, but hey, you can still have fun.”

Evie closed her eyes and mentally prepared herself for the call from the cruise company to come pick up the Troublesome Trio from whichever port the ship was docked at. Although now that Lexi was married to Noah, he might have better connections and be able to get them home quicker than commercial flights. Something to bring up to them when they got back.

A knock sounded at the door. “Hold that thought.” Evie went to answer the door, absently pushing back the hair that had escaped her ponytail. They’d rented out the cottage on the back of her grandmother’s property and the tenant was due to show up sometime either today or tomorrow. They had no idea who was renting it since a corporation had completed the transaction.

She could see the shadow of a tall man through the frosted glass. Evie had hoped the renter would be a family to distract her grandmother so she might get some rest and not some man to chase around. She opened the door and looked up into the face that haunted Lexi’s nightmares. She stifled a scream and started to slam the door on him.

He slapped one strong hand on the door and stopped it from closing. “I’m not him.” His low voice with a hint of British accent washed over her. She hesitated for a moment and that was all it took for him to work his way into the house.

“Wait. Don’t come any closer. How do I know you aren’t him?” She needed to keep him talking to find out if it was Jeremy or Anthony. Her grandmother was just in the other room, hopefully paying attention to what was going on. If it was Jeremy, she could call the police without him knowing. She wasn’t sure why Jeremy would come here though, it was Lexi he wanted. If it was Anthony, why was he here?

She watched as he rolled the sleeves up on his arms. She let out a deep breath; there was no scar. She knew what Lexi had done to Jeremy with the cuticle scissors. Since Jeremy hadn’t been heard from, and they had been checking hospitals and doctor’s offices she knew there was no way a plastic surgeon could have repaired the damage so that nothing was there. She nodded her head trying to still her beating heart. “I suggest you wear short sleeves while you are here, otherwise you’re going to have a lot of explaining to do.”

“I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. You knew that when you sent me that e-mail. If you don’t mind, I’d like the keys to the cottage so I can get settled. It’s been a long day.” He ran his hand through his black, wavy hair.

“Of course, they’re just in the living room.” Evie turned and walked to the curio cabinet. Thoughts whirled through her mind as she tried to calm her shaking hands. She shivered as he came up behind her.

“You don’t have to be scared of me. I’m not here to hurt anyone.”

She turned towards him. “That’s good, because Lexi has been hurt enough. I know it was no picnic what you went through, but I won’t have you hurting her.” She stood up to him, secretly liking the fact he was taller than her own six-foot height. Staring into his shocking blue eyes, she couldn’t deny how gorgeous he was. He carried himself like he was used to getting what he wanted. “You never replied to my e-mail. So I have no idea why you’re here.”

“Don’t think I haven’t done my research before arriving. I know who you are and what Lexi means to you.” He took a step closer to her. “But don’t think I’m going to let that get in the way of getting the answers I want.”

She took a step closer to him so that they were standing toe to toe. “Listen, buster, I’ll get in the way if I need to. I’ll be keeping an eye on you.” She turned back around to get the keys. The next thing she heard was a thunk and a moan. She quickly turned and tried to catch Anthony as he crumpled to the ground.

She landed on her back partially underneath him just catching his head before it hit the ground. Letting out a grunt as his weight pinned her down she looked up at her grandmother who still had the frying pan clutched in her one good hand. “Really?”

Evelyne didn’t move. “Really? Well, what the hell do you expect me to do when I see this monster standing in my living room hulking over my granddaughter?”

“Didn’t you pause to listen what we were talking about before you came out swinging? It’s not Jeremy, its Anthony looking for answers, and now he’s knocked out on top of me and squashing me.”

She lowered the frying pan. “Oh, well, I guess that’s not good.”

“You think? I could use a little help here.” Evie tried not to notice his hard body. Their faces were close to each other. She watched as his eyes started to flutter open. She held her breath wondering what he was going to be like when he woke up.

His words were slurred as he said, “You’ve got beautiful blue cat eyes. Here kitty-kitty, don’t scratch me.” His hand came out to brush her hair back. “I can make you purr.”

She watched as his eyes rolled back and he passed back out. Oh shitcrickets, I might be in trouble with this one. Why does he have to be so fucking hot? She looked up at her grandmother who had a shocked expression on her face and her hand covering her mouth.

“Oh honey, did he just say what I thought he said? We’re going to have to watch him. Come on; let’s get you up from under him. That is no place for a lady to be.”

“Since when did you ever care about acting like a lady?”

“I care about acting like a lady; it’s just more fun to say and do what’s on my mind at my age.” She tilted her head to the side. “You know, he does have a nice ass.”

“Not helping.” Evie started to wiggle out from under him. It took more effort than she would have thought. She tried not to show how good it felt having his rock hard body on top of hers as she slid out from under his. She needed distance and went into the kitchen to get some cold water thinking she just might need a cold shower. She came back out and dumped it over his head.

~*~

Anthony leapt off the floor looking around trying to remember where he was and what dangers could be around. His eyes settled on Evie.

“Anthony, it’s ok.”

He shook his head to clear it and brought his hands up, his head was throbbing. Once he knew where he was, his heart slowed down. He squinted his eyes at the old lady trying to hide the frying pan behind her back. “I don’t think you’ll be needing that. I’d appreciate it if you would put it away.” He turned to look at Evie. “And if I could have the keys to the cottage please. I’d like to lie down after I make sure the doors are locked.” He eyed Evelyne and the frying pan who had the grace to look ashamed.

Evie walked toward him and took his arm. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to take a look at your head and get you some aspirin before you leave. It might not be good for you to go to sleep right away.”

She led him to the kitchen. He thought it might be better if he could keep an eye on the old lady. “As long as you’re sure she’s not going to try to poison me, we should be fine.” He sat down in the chair and wondered what he had gotten himself into.

He saw Evie give her grandmother a look as she went to the cabinet and got a pill bottle and a glass. He looked at her, not quite trusting, as she filled the glass with water. She took two of the pills and drank them down then handed him the glass and shook out two additional pills. He took them without a word.

Watching as she crossed back over to put the glass in the sink he was startled when the back door burst open and two more old ladies burst in each of them holding a weapon. He quickly jumped up and went around to the other side of the room keeping the table between them all the while his head throbbed in protest of moving so quickly.

“Stop,” Evie yelled at them. “It’s not what you think.”

One of them waved her brass candlestick in the air inching her way into the room. “Let me at the yellow-livered-no-good-scum-sucking-scalawag! I’ll show him not to mess with women.”

Evie rushed over to stop in front of them. “No, you don’t understand, that’s not Jeremy.”

“You can’t be sure. Let us at him, we’ll beat the truth out of him.” The other one looked dangerous as she swung a baseball bat around.

“Stop it. Listen to me. He’s not Jeremy.” She turned to Anthony. “Can you please show them your arm? You all know what Lexi did to Jeremy’s arm. Anthony doesn’t have that scar. There’s no way there wouldn’t be any damage to his arm at this point. It would be a long, jagged scar, not to mention, we know she went deep enough to ruin the muscle. Chill out.” She didn’t move until they both lowered their weapons. “Now do you want to explain why you are here acting like a couple of Charlie’s Angels?” She crossed her arms across her chest.

Anthony was doing his best to keep up with everything that was happening, but he was a little lost. He tried to remember what he’d learned about Lexi and her friends; he thought these two were Evelyne’s friends. Taking a closer look he decided the one with candlestick must be Leigh while the other had to be Marie based on the descriptions he had of them. He just wanted to get out of here with his head still on his shoulders.

Evelyne cleared her throat. “Well, see honey, it’s like this. When I got a look at who was at the door, I called the girls to come over for backup.”

Evie shook her head. “Shouldn’t you have called, oh I don’t know, the police? You know, someone trained.”

“What? How can that be? No, don’t answer, I know why, but they can’t do that. This is a perfect example as to why they can’t ignore your calls.” Evie looked at Anthony. “Sorry, nothing personal, but what if you had been Jeremy.”

She threw her arms out while talking to the ladies. “So basically you are telling me that you guys could be hurt or in danger and they are just going to leave you hanging? All because you have made a few false reports to get a look at the new young hot recruits? Seriously? I’m going to have a talk with them.” She started looking around the kitchen for something, stopping only when Anthony cleared his throat.

“Before you go, can I get the key so that I can get away from Mrs. White, Mrs. Peacock and Miss Scarlett before they decide to play a live version of Clue? Mrs. White already tried to kill me in the living room with a frying pan.”

Leigh pumped her fist in the air. “Woo-hoo, I’m Miss Scarlett.”

Evelyne shook her head. “Why do you get to be Miss Scarlett? I want to be Miss Scarlett. Mrs. White is boring.” She looked at Leigh and they smiled. “I know. Marie can be Mrs. White. She’d like that better than being known as Mrs. Peacock. And we know I love the cock.”

Anthony shook his head not believing what he just heard. He felt like he was being tossed around in a storm. He watched Evie laughing and something stirred in his chest. She was drop-dead gorgeous, tall, and loyal. He was amazed at how quickly she jumped to the defense of people. Even him, after only knowing he was Anthony, and not Jeremy, for a short time. He watched the sway of her hips as she walked out of the room. When she came back a few minutes later, she never broke eye contact. He liked the fact that she didn’t seem to back down easy. He was getting lost in her, and the magic she wove with those cat eyes. He had to get out of this house.

“Here you go.” She dropped the keys in his hand and handed him some papers. “I printed out information on concussions. Make sure you follow what they tell you to do. If you have any symptoms that they list, come get me, and I’ll take you to the hospital. Lexi and Noah are still on their honeymoon. I’d appreciate it if you let me talk to her first before you go barging in there.”

“What makes you think I’d go barging in there?” When she didn’t say anything, just staring at him with a look of disbelief on her face, he continued. “Fine, I thought they were due back yesterday.”

“Do I want to know how you found out about that? It’s not exactly public knowledge.” She shook her head. “Never mind. They decided to stay a week or two longer. I’ll have a talk with Lexi when she gets back. This is something that has to be done in person and not over the phone. I’m not going to ruin her honeymoon because of Jeremy. He’s taken enough from her already. Now let me show you to the cottage so you can get settled and we can talk more, later.”

Very quickly she showed him to the cottage not saying much. Once he was inside she left quickly. The next thing Anthony knew he was left alone looking at the back of the closed door. He walked to the window and watched her walking back towards the main house. He wasn’t sure where this journey was going to take him but by the looks of it, it was going to be one hell of a ride.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

The annual Culling ceremony is a day every coming-of-age novice looks forward to within the Primeval Coven. It’s the start to being initiated into the Night Watchmen, humankind’s protectors, and it’s the long-awaited day when novices discover if they’re a Hunter or a Witch.
But this day is not a happy one for Faye Middleton. Not when she’s known her whole life that she’s a Defect and is about to face banishment in front of her fellow novices. She’s forced to attend the Culling with little hope for her future, but what she discovers about herself is far worse than she could’ve imagined.

And far more dangerous.
Thrown into training and separated from her friends, Faye must learn to adjust. She struggles to find her place within the Coven, and with Jaxen Gramm, the darkly handsome and extremely unnerving man assigned to watch and protect her. Emotions run high, and when she discovers a deadly secret about him, her struggles deepen. As corruption within the Coven begins to unravel, Faye pieces together her role in saving the future of her people, and within Jaxen’s life...but will the truth save her, or be her undoing?

“This way,” Nathaniel says from the side of the stage. We’re like cows being herded into individual pens to await sacrifice. There are closed-in cubicles constructed backstage, and each of us is placed in one without a word of guidance or encouragement.
“Wait a second,” I say as I try to scan down the row one last time for Katie, but I’m shoved into my cubicle and the door shuts, enclosing me in between four confining walls with only the light of a lamp. I drag my hands down the fabric of the walls until I fall down into my seat. I tug on my braid again and again and again. Calm down. Breathe. Calm down. I chant this over and over again, imagining that Katie’s the one who’s coaching me. I shut my eyes and am back in her room. The scent of her perfume overwhelms the small space, but instead of making me sneeze, it comforts me. It makes my imagined state more real.
I hear loud clapping coming from off the stage and know someone must’ve just gone. They obviously weren’t a Defect. No one wants a Defect at their ceremony. A voice shouts, “Let’s go, Todd Jenson. It’s time to meet your partner.” I wonder if it was Katie on stage. I wonder if he’s her partner. I wonder this through eighteen more times worth of clapping and cheering and name calling. Anytime now, they’ll open my door and force me to stand before the crowd, force me to touch the quartz, force me to face my peers in shame. If they deem me a Defect, I’ll be the first this Culling, and most likely the only.
I twist my hands into knots and think about my parents. They have to be out there by now. I’m going to walk out there and they’re going to be in the front row smiling. I open my eyes. Four walls. They’re closing in on me. They’re suffocating me. I have to get out.
“Faye Middleton?” The door opens and air rushes in. I draw sharply on it as the cheering continues. Another novice and her new partner walk off stage. It’s the girl with black hair. She’s coyly looking at him from under her lashes. He looks pissed.
Nathaniel guides me forward, and I want to yank my arm from him. I want to tell him I left my courage back in that cubicle, but I don’t. I can’t. My lips are glued shut by fear. My knees have turned into two extremities of doubt, and I know I’m going to fall. I’m going to forget how to speak.
Steel blue eyes find mine from across the stage. Elder Maddock. He bows ever so slightly in my direction, his eyes seeking past my outer appearance. I wonder if he knows who I am. He has to. I stop right before him and feel like a bird trapped in a cage. I can’t escape the thousands of eyes studying me. I can’t escape the hundreds of assumptions building me into something I’m not.
“Faye Middleton,” he says, his voice eager and curious. There’s a friendly lightness in his voice I don’t expect, a sound that makes me feel safe and comfortable under his gaze. He has thick, golden brown hair combed neatly over to the side and back, showing off the squared planes of his face. He looks much younger than he should, but older than my father. “Are you ready to begin?”
I turn to the crowd and scan desperately for my parents. Eyes. There are so many eyes. Too many. They form together, creating an awful monster that wants to swallow me whole. I can’t find them. The eyes have hidden them from me. I’m all alone. I try to swallow, but my mouth is so dry. I bite the inside of my cheek, curbing the need to release tears.
The Witch standing next to him says, “Faye, he asked you a question.”
I take in a tight breath and force myself to look away and back at Maddock. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, my stomach twisting a little tighter.
He pretends not to notice the panic I’m sure my face is masked in and offers me the kindest, most patient smile. “Everyone is nervous on the day of the Culling,” he says knowingly. “I was a wreck the day of mine.”
Polite laughter comes from the audience, and I feel myself relax just enough so that I can breathe again.
He offers me a small wink…a knowing sort of wink, and says, “Your parents will be proud.” He says these words carefully, evenly, and I know he’s trying to tell me something. They’re okay? He’s aware of who I am. “So are you ready to begin?”

About The Author

Candace Knoebel is the award-winning author of Born in Flames-a young adult fantasy trilogy.

Published by 48fourteen in 2012, Born in Flames went on to win Turning the Pages Book of the Year award in February of 2013. Embracing the Flames, the second in the trilogy, is scheduled for release in the summer of 2013.
Candace Knoebel discovered through lunch breaks and late nights after putting her kids to bed, a world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five Purgatory. Since then, she crawled out of Purgatory and has devoted her time to writing and sometimes heelying.

When Knox Wellington opens the door to Charlie Davenport, he's not expecting the fiery brunette with whiskey colored eyes and a feisty personality. Sparks fly immediately, even though their initial meeting is nothing but hostile. Their chemistry is undeniable, but the chip on Knox's shoulder threatens to destroy any hope of him wooing the sweet, southern volunteer sent to help with his rehabilitation. Little does he know she's no Southern Belle, as she gives as good as she can take. As unexpected circumstances push them closer together, heads butt, patience is tested, and flames ignite as they dance around their mutual attraction, both of them jaded from broken pasts. They've both been burned before, so when their feelings of lust, desire, and wanting are inflamed in the heat of the moment, will they finally be able to get over the pain of the past or will their relationship be reduced to ashes before it can ever really begin?*While this book is a standalone, characters from Ignite, book 1, will appear in Knox's story.

Excerpt

Following after her, I find her bent over in front of the refrigerator holding the door open and staring at the contents inside. The way her ass is sticking out unleashes something inside me, and I go semi-hard just from watching her. I instantly feel the need to show her that I’m not some weak, damaged man. I walk up behind her and grab her by the waist, turning her around. Kicking the door shut behind me, I push her to the island, and if I thought I could get away with it, I’d be pressing myself up against so she could feel what she’s doing to me. She’s staring up at me with confusion in her big, brown eyes, and I wonder what the hell I’m doing.

“Hop up,” I tell her, and she complies immediately, surprising me by not fighting it.

I place my hands on her knees, spreading them and stepping closer to her so my hips are between her legs. As best as I can, I take a hold each one and wrap them around my waist, and she involuntarily tightens them around my middle, although her ass is still firmly planted on the counter. This isn’t how I imagined her legs wrapped around me for the first time, but I can’t deny that I don’t love the feel of her gripping my waist tightly.

“Arms around my neck, Charlie.” The confused expression on her face deepens, but she does as she’s told.

“What are you doing, Knox?” she asks, looking up at me, her face only inches from mine.

Swallowing hard, I ignore her question and bring my forehead to hers. “Just do this for me, okay? Don’t fight me on it. Just this once. I need to do this.”

She nods, and I’m not sure she knows what to expect, confirming it when I pull her off the counter. Gasping, she starts to struggle, and I have to brace myself against the counter to keep from falling. Jesus, this woman is so damn defiant, and it can be both sexy as hell and annoyingly irritating.

“Knox, what the hell?! Put me down!”

Fuck, I know I should probably listen to her, but I’ve gotten to this point and I’m not stopping until I can prove to myself that I haven’t completely lost all of my strength. She’s not exactly heavy, but her struggling is making it difficult to keep my one good arm around her as I make my way down the hallway, heading into the guest bedroom. Somewhere along the way she stops struggling, apparently having given up and figuring that it’s just easier to let me do this.

I’m slightly out of breath by the time I get to her bed, and I’m more than happy to release her from my arms. Relief washes over me when she plops on the bed, bouncing once. Whether the relief is from having been able to do it or from having freed myself of her weight. Either way, I’m fucking ecstatic, and even though I’m breathing heavy, it was a small victory for me and my bruised ego.

I begin backing away from her because I know the verbal assault is coming, and I don’t blame her, but I don’t regret it.

I'm a twenty six year old book junkie who is also obsessed with sports. Bengals, Buckeyes, Reds are my teams! I work for the government during the day, hang out with Air National Guard on the weekends, and have been married to my own book boyfriend for over seven years. We currently live right outside of Dayton, OH with our two cats.If I’m not writing or looking through tons of photos of hot men, all in the name of research, then you can probably find me curled up with my Kindle, ignoring the rest of the world. I love my sports almost as much as I love my books. My other obsessions include red wine, hot men, country music, and all things Grace Potter.I LOVE to hear from readers, so please feel free to contact via any social media site listed below.